Been looking for a new truck to pull my K5 around with since last July. Was originally looking at 1500HD's and 2500HD's. Something with the 6.0. Figured on spending around 10k to get into something I liked with the options I wanted. Mainly looking at CCSB's or ECSB's. Had thought about a Duramax, but most were out of my price range or were beat to hell.
I had been saving cash and looking, didn't want to finance. Then life happened and my mother passed away back in September. Totally unexpected and took everyone by surprise. After going back and forth with the insurance company, the life insurance policy came in. So....the budget opened up a little bit more.
I decided on looking for a diesel, but I was going to be more picky about it. As you probably know, they are a hot item right now and go quick. Missed out on a few private party deals and a few at dealers.
Monday night I was checking Craigslist and had a new one show up at a dealer 9 miles away. It only had a stock photo on their website and not many details, so I wasn't too interested. The wife wanted to go out and wouldn't you know it, we'd be going right past that dealer. Figured it couldn't hurt to swing in and take a look at it. Walked in the door and asked a sales guy about it, he had no idea. Asked another and he didn't have a clue either. I pulled it up on their website and showed it to them, they looked up the stock number and realized it must have been a new trade in and not on the lot yet. We finally tracked it down in the body shop.
2002 crew cab short box. Grey, black leather, pretty much fully optioned...exactly what I was looking for. Dealer service it's entire life and had injectors done 10,000 miles ago. It had hit a deer and was traded in, other than that there was a clean carfax. They were just staring to work on it so it was up on the frame rack, perfect spot for me to check out the rockers/cab corners/door bottoms. They looked good, small (dime sized) surface rust starting on the drivers cab corner, should clean up easy. Box wasn't beaten and didn't have a fifth wheel or gooseneck ball in it ever. It's got a hard cover on the bed (if you've ever had one you know how much of a pain in the ass it is to pull remove), so I don't think it was used too hard. I'm thinking it was some guys daily driver.
Because it was up on the rack, I couldn't drive it that night or even start it (didn't know if they had pulled anything from the motor and didn't want to chance it). Told the sales guy I was interested and to call me as soon as I could test drive it, I didn't care if it was before they finished the body work. Today I got a call saying I could come drive it before they pulled it back in to put it together (parts had just come in). It was 4* when I showed up and it fired right up after the plugs cycled. A good sign since it wasn't even plugged in. Let it warm up for about 10 minutes before we took off. Ran/drove great. goes down the road straight, good power and ride was decent. Tires are a little thin and you could tell they needed to be balanced. Blower motor wasn't working, but we were unsure of if it had been unhooked or was something else, I was assured it'd be fixed if I bought it.
Made it back to the dealer and went inside to talk money. They wanted $12,997 for it. More than a fair price for this area and the shape/mileage/trim, but I knew I could do a little better. Said I would be a cash buyer, pointed out the tires would need to be replaced soon, the small amount of rust starting (not really a concern of mine) and the fact that they could sell it before it even hit the lot and took up space. Told them I'd like to be out the door for 13k, tax/title/fees. They came back with that it'd probably only be on the lot for a few days before someone scooped it up. I offered $13,500 out the door or I was walking. They took it, not the best deal but not the worst. Original price out the door would have been $14,149.42 so $650 off.
Body shop said it should be ready sometime next week, Wednesday or Thursday. Told them I was in no hurry and not to rush it I was in no big hurry. Truck is getting new hood, bumper, lights, grill, etc... Then off to the service dept for oil change/filters. Wash wax/detail after that.
Only grabbed a couple pictures because it was like -20 with the windchill.
I had been saving cash and looking, didn't want to finance. Then life happened and my mother passed away back in September. Totally unexpected and took everyone by surprise. After going back and forth with the insurance company, the life insurance policy came in. So....the budget opened up a little bit more.
I decided on looking for a diesel, but I was going to be more picky about it. As you probably know, they are a hot item right now and go quick. Missed out on a few private party deals and a few at dealers.
Monday night I was checking Craigslist and had a new one show up at a dealer 9 miles away. It only had a stock photo on their website and not many details, so I wasn't too interested. The wife wanted to go out and wouldn't you know it, we'd be going right past that dealer. Figured it couldn't hurt to swing in and take a look at it. Walked in the door and asked a sales guy about it, he had no idea. Asked another and he didn't have a clue either. I pulled it up on their website and showed it to them, they looked up the stock number and realized it must have been a new trade in and not on the lot yet. We finally tracked it down in the body shop.
2002 crew cab short box. Grey, black leather, pretty much fully optioned...exactly what I was looking for. Dealer service it's entire life and had injectors done 10,000 miles ago. It had hit a deer and was traded in, other than that there was a clean carfax. They were just staring to work on it so it was up on the frame rack, perfect spot for me to check out the rockers/cab corners/door bottoms. They looked good, small (dime sized) surface rust starting on the drivers cab corner, should clean up easy. Box wasn't beaten and didn't have a fifth wheel or gooseneck ball in it ever. It's got a hard cover on the bed (if you've ever had one you know how much of a pain in the ass it is to pull remove), so I don't think it was used too hard. I'm thinking it was some guys daily driver.
Because it was up on the rack, I couldn't drive it that night or even start it (didn't know if they had pulled anything from the motor and didn't want to chance it). Told the sales guy I was interested and to call me as soon as I could test drive it, I didn't care if it was before they finished the body work. Today I got a call saying I could come drive it before they pulled it back in to put it together (parts had just come in). It was 4* when I showed up and it fired right up after the plugs cycled. A good sign since it wasn't even plugged in. Let it warm up for about 10 minutes before we took off. Ran/drove great. goes down the road straight, good power and ride was decent. Tires are a little thin and you could tell they needed to be balanced. Blower motor wasn't working, but we were unsure of if it had been unhooked or was something else, I was assured it'd be fixed if I bought it.
Made it back to the dealer and went inside to talk money. They wanted $12,997 for it. More than a fair price for this area and the shape/mileage/trim, but I knew I could do a little better. Said I would be a cash buyer, pointed out the tires would need to be replaced soon, the small amount of rust starting (not really a concern of mine) and the fact that they could sell it before it even hit the lot and took up space. Told them I'd like to be out the door for 13k, tax/title/fees. They came back with that it'd probably only be on the lot for a few days before someone scooped it up. I offered $13,500 out the door or I was walking. They took it, not the best deal but not the worst. Original price out the door would have been $14,149.42 so $650 off.
Body shop said it should be ready sometime next week, Wednesday or Thursday. Told them I was in no hurry and not to rush it I was in no big hurry. Truck is getting new hood, bumper, lights, grill, etc... Then off to the service dept for oil change/filters. Wash wax/detail after that.
Only grabbed a couple pictures because it was like -20 with the windchill.
! I have a lly myself, and I love the truck! as for injectors issues, I seen alot of people changing fuel filter every oil changes and the balance rates is pretty good. thats what I do to mine.
